Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-01-06

Again S1lcllU, uSI
tormentor plainly waits for lead from
her before going on.
"You must have remarked" she con-
tinues presently, show cold and re-
served he was towards me when we
were all together in that dreadful
haunted chamber" Here she really
shudders, in spite of herself. The cruel
eyes of Arthur DynecOurt seem to be
on her again, as they were in that
ghOStly room.
'I remarked nothing" responds Flor
ence icily.
aNo-really? Well, he was. Why, my
dear Florence, you must have seen how
he singled you out to be attentive to
you, just to show me how offended he
was"
"He did not seem offended at any
one, and [ thought he was IN partlcu-
lar good spirits" replies Florence
calmly.
Dora turns delicate pink.
Dear Adrian is such an excellent
actor" she says sweetly, "and SO proud;
he will disguise his feelings, however
keen they may be, from the knowledge
of any one, no matter what the effort
may cost him. Well, dearest, and so
you positively advise me to keep this
appointment with him?"
Il advise nothing. [ merely say that
I see nothing Objectionable - 80
walking UP and down the Hme-Walk
with your host"
How clearly you put it! Well,
adieu, darling, for the present, and
thank you thousand times for all the
time you have wasted on me. | assure
you / am not worth it'-kissing her
hand brightly.
For once she speaks the truth; she is
not indeed worth one moment of the
time Florence has been compelled to
expend upon her; yet, when she has
tripped out of the room, seemingly as
free from guile as light-hearted child,
Miss Delmaine's thoughts still follow
her inclination.
She has gone to meet him; no doubt
to interchange tender words and VOWS
with him; 70 forgive, to be forgiven,
about some sweet bit of lovers folly,
the dearer for its very fOOlishness. She
listens for her footsteps as she returns
along the corridor, dressed no doubt in
her prettiest gown, decked out to make
herself fair in his eyes.
An overwhelming desire to see how
| she has rObed herself on this particular
occasion induces Florence to go to the
! door and look after her as she deScendS
| the stairs. She just catches a glimpse
| Of Dora as she turns the corner, and
sees, to her surprise, that she is by no
! means Gaintily attired, but has thrown
| a plain dark waterproof over her dress,
as though to hide it. Slightly surprised
| at this, Florence pOndGrS over it, and
! finally comes to the bitter conclusion
! that Dora is so sure Of his devotion
| that she knows it is not necessary for
| her to bedeck herself in finery to please
| him. In his eyes of course she is love-
! ly in any toilet.
Soon, soon she will be with him.
| How will they greet each other? VIII
| he look into DOra's eyes as he used to
! look into hers not SO very long ago?
Arthur DynecOurt read her Alright
when he fOresaW that she would be I'M
able to repress the desire to follow Do
IA, and see for herself the meeting be-
! tween her and Sir Adrian.
Hastily putting on q large Rubens
| hat, and twisting a soft piece OF black
! lace round her neck. she runs down
| stairs, and, taking q different direction
! from that she knows Dora most likely
| pursued, she arrives by side path at
! the Gme-Walk almost as soon as her
| cousin.
! Afraid to venture too near, she OBJ
! tainS a view of the walk from a high
| position framed in by rhOdOdendrOns.
! Yes, now she can see Dora, and now
| she can see too, the man who comes
| eagerly to meet her. His face is slight
1y turned away from her, but the tall
figure clad in the loose light o9ercoat is
| not to be mistaken. He advances
! quickly, and meets Dora with both
hands OutStretched. She appears to
| draw back a little, and then he seizes
| nd
with kisses.
A film seems to creep over F1orence's
| eyes. With a Stified grOan, she turns
and flies homeWard. Again in the pri-
vacy of her own room, and having
turned the key securely in the lock to
! keep out all intruderS, she filings herself
upon her bed and cries as it her heart
would break.
Not until her return to her room does
Dora remember that she did not get
back the false letter from her cousin.
In the heat Of the conversation she had
! forgotten it, but now, q fear possessing
| her lest Florence should snow it to any
| one, she runs upstairs and knocks at
| Miss Delmaine's door.
Come in," calls Florence slowly.
It is three hours since she went for
her unhappy. walk to the lime-groye,
and now She is composed again, and i
waiting for the gong to sound before
| descending to the draWing-room,
where she almost breads the thought
that she will be face to face with Sir
Adrian. She is dressed for dinner, has
indeed taken most particular pains with
her toilet, if only to hide the ravages
that these past three hours Of bitter
weeping have traced upon her beautiful
face. She looks sad still, but calm and
dignifed.
Dora is dressed too, but is looking
Hurried and flushed.
Il beg your pardon" she says; 'but
my letter-the letter [ showed you to-
day-have you it?"
NO" replies Florence simply; 81
thought [ gave it back to you; but, il
not, it must be here on the table,
lifting a book or two from the gypsy
table near which she had been sitting
when Dora came to her room early in
the day.
Dora looks fo it everywhere, in a
somewhat nervous, frightened manner,
Florence helping her the while; but
nothing comes of their search, and
they are fain to go downstairs without
it, as the gong sounding loudly tells
them they are already late.
Never mind,' says Dora, afraid OF